Suture



Dec. 1 1925- E. J. OVINGTON SUTURE Filed March 5, 1923 7zvevito 2' Patented Dec. 1, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD J'. OVINGTON, OF AUBURNDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 DAVIS & G-ECK, INC., 015 BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SUTURE.

Application filed March 5, 1923. Serial No. 622,780.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD J. OVINGTON, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Auburndale, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Sutures, of which the followingdescription, in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts. a

My present invention is an improvement in surgical needles known assutures and an important and novel process of manufacturing the same.

In the manufacture of sutures for surgical work it is of great importance that the needle and the ligature should be united in a manner to eliminate, to the greatest degree possible, any sharp angles, rough surfaces, protuberances, recesses, or openings, as well as to prevent discrepancies in size between the needle and the ligature. The ideal condition would-be to have the suture of continuous metal, with the ligature connected therewith in the same flush plane and independent of any openings, recesses or the like, and this has been impossible of attainment in the prior art. My present invention approximates this ideal result more nearly than any prior article, and my method of so forming the needle and connecting the ligature presents a substantially continuous surface from the needle to the ligature entirely of recesses, rough surfaces, sharp angles or the like, or a weakened place, and while also maintaining full strength of the metal at every point in the needle. This latter fea- .ture is of great importance and is a distinct novelty with me.

In carrying out my invention, I first form the needle in a ,novel method, utilizing a die which will swage, stamp or flatten the end portionopposite the point of the needle blank or bar into suitable and predetermined shape to permit the wrapping or folding up of the swaged or stamped part to encircle the inserted portion of the ligature and then uniting the opposite edges of the stamped, swaged or flattened part so as to join the same in a substantially single continuous line. It will be appreciated that each time a suture is used it is discarded and therefore a new needle and new ligature must be united for every operation, and conindependently sequently a simple, eflicient and practicable method of effecting this union of the needle and ligature, producing a uniform result, isof great importance. 7

Referring to the drawings, illustrating my novel method, and the improved suture resulting therefrom,

Fig. 1 is a plan view shown scale of a needle blank or bar;

Fig. 2 is a side view illustrating the needle blank or bar after the first process of flattening a portion of the same has been carried out;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the needle as shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a side View partly in cross-section after the flattened portion of the needle has been rolled upwardly into ligature receiving position; a

Fig. 5 being a correspondlng top or plan on enlarged yiew of the same;

Fig. 6 is a view partly in cross-section, showing the ligature in position and the opposed edges of the flattened portion curved, curled or forced over into abutting alinement;

Fig. 7 is a top or plan view of the completed suture;

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view on the line 88 of Fig. 7

Fig. 9 is an end View of the blank as shown in, Fig. 3; and I Fig. 10 is an end View of the blank as illustrated in Fig. 5.

Vi hile the drawings illustrating my invention are On an enlarged scale, it will be appreciated that the same can be appl ed to and carried out upon needles of any size or diameter with equal facility. The needlebar or blank 1 is first subjected to a swaging, forming or flattening action, at the rear portion. This feature is readily accomplished by placing the rear portion in appropriate position under a die shown in dotted lines at 2. This die is so shaped as to cause the metal of the needle blank or bar to be forced out during the swaging operation into such form that the edges of the swaged portion, when wrapped about a l1gature,w1ll substantially meet throughout their length. As more clearly shown in dotted lines 1n Fig. 2, the die 2 is formed with a beveled portion at one end. which, when 1n operative position is directed toward or faces the pointed end of the needle bar or blank 1.

i tween the forces the edges of the metal of the needle.

bar or blank adjacent the said incliped'or beveled wall 4, to assume the complementary cooperating curves 7, which edges converge and merge into the body proper of .the v needle bar.

The operation of this action will be readily appreciated. The rearmost part of the needle is positioned under the die 2, and

thereup on the die 2 isbrought in contact with the needle, whereupon the needle is automatically held, or grasped and the continued downward movement of the die upon the end portion of the blank results in swaglng, forming or flatteni-ng out this portion into the contour as shown at 6, Figs. 2, 3 and 9. During this forming'or flattening action the metal in the forward portion will flow around the sharpened and beveled end 3 of the die 2, forming the swaged edges on complementary cooperating curves 7 befront end 4 and the edges 8 and 9 respectively of the flattened blank, and which curved edges converge and merge into the body proper of the needle' bar. This contour of great importance as it must be in a suitable properly proportioned to permit the subsequent wrapping or folding of the sides 8 and 9 around the ligature 12 and resulting substantially in a meeting or alinement of the edges 8 and 9 and the two curved portions 7 throughout their length in a completed article, as illustrated-in the abutting edges 15 in Figs. 7 and 8. I accomplish this result by a proper formation of the/die 2. With the blank formed as illustrated at 3, I then fold up the edges 8 and 9, and the two curved portions 77 respectively, substantially as illustrated at Figs. 4, 5 and 10. The needle is now ready to receive the ligature 12, the end of the same being fitted within the partially curved sides 8 and 9, whereupon the union of the ligature and needle is completed by setting the edges 8 and 9 and the two curved portions into completely curved osition, clamping the same die, thus uniting "the edges tightly around the ligature 12 until the opposed edges 7, 7 and 8 and 9 meet in a substantially straight line 15, as clearly shown in Fig. 7. Ifdesired, this final action may be suificient in extent to slightly counteropenings,

sink the metallic portions of the needle around,

shown at 20, Figs. 6 and 7, thus forming both needle and ligature into a suture of The resulting article produces a suture without rough edges,

recesses or the like, to be obj ectionable, or other objectionable features, while forced out into such the swaged portion when wrapped about a about and into the suture 12, as.

affording a complete suture with the needle and ligature of uniform diameter. 1 l he meeting edges in the line 15 are in direct alinement with the and the frictional engagement of this portion of the needle on the ligature and the countersinking therein if desired, insures a firm, strong, union under substantially ideal conditions.

My invention can be utilized for straight needles, curved needles, liver needles, or any other surgical instrumentwherein a connection between the needle and sewing thread or ligature is desired.

The process enables the full metallic strength of the needle to be practically preserved at the point of junction of the needle and'ligature, thus eliminating a weak joint or point and thereby obviating the danger of breakage.

My invention is further described and defined in theform of claims as follows:

1. A needle having one end swaged to provide free portions the adjacent edges of which converge and merge into the body proper of the needle and which may be brought into substantial contact throughout their length when wrapped about a ligature.

2. A suture, comprising a needle having its rear end portion swaged so that the edges of the swaged part adjacent the body of the needle are formed upon complementary cooperating curves such that when the swaged portion is rolled, the edges substantially meet throughout their length and close the opening from the body of the needle to the end thereof; and a ligature, one end of -which is attached to said swaged portion of the needle, the swaged portion of the needle being wrapped about the ligature.

3. a new article of manufacture, a surgical needle having its rear end portion swaged into a thinner part the edges of which adjacent the body of the needle are formed upon complementary curves leaving a thickness of metal in that part of the swaged porti n adjaoentjthe needle greater than that in he remainder of the swaged portion, the shape of the .edgesbeing such that they substantiallyv meet throughout their length when rolled into approximately cylindrical form; 'whereby the junction of the body of'the needle and the swaged portion has its strength preserved.

4. The improvement in the art of forming needles for surgical uses, which consists in swag-ing the rear end of the a. die so shaped as ligature will substantially meet throughout their entire length.

In testimony whereof, I have-signed my name to this specification.

EDWARDJ. OVINGTON.

diameter of the needle needle bar witha to cause the. metal to be a form that the edges of 

